Perihelion
(see Pluto#Astronomy) http://www.met.rdg.ac.uk/~ross/Astronomy/Planets.html NB: just because Pluto's perihelion is in Scorpio (224.1'), doesn't imply rulership, because other planets have their perihelions elsewhere (Neptune in Taurus 44.97', Uranus in Virgo 171', Saturn in Cancer 92.43', Jupiter in Aries, Mars in Pisces, Earth in Cancer, Venus in Leo and Mercury in Gemini) with only Mercury's perihelion corresponding to one of its rulership's. Interestingly, only Mercury (e=0.205) and Pluto (e=0.2488) have eccentricities e>0.1, so perhaps this rule is most valid only for elliptical orbits, whose perihelions are much more significant and therefore charge the planet more noticeably. The next planet in the list would be Mars (e=0.093) and one finds that its perihelion in Pisces (336') is actually close to its ruled sign of Aries (0-30'), and would have gained the energy from its perihelion and imbued it in Aries. Next Saturn (e=0.054) whose perihelion of 2'43" Cancer actually opposes its rulership of Capricorn, but this suggests that Saturn is in its most natural state when detached from the Sun, and slowed to its minimum velocity, which fits the character of Saturn nicely. side note: Anyway the rates are in the link above and are all on the order of 1000"/100years, meaning that for the perihelion to shift even 1 degree would take 3600/10=360 years. However, Pluto's rate is even slower at -132"/100years and hence would take around 2727 to shift even one degree. Back to the remaining planets: Jupiter (0.048) and Uranus (0.047) are the next most eccentric in their orbits. Jupiter's rulership over Sagittarius is well accepted, and Pisces also traditionally. Here, we see Jupiter's perihelion at 14'75" Aries, which is trine Sagittarius and inconjunct Pisces, both points being on the way from apohelion towards this Aries perihelion. This implies that Jupiter is most jovian when increasing in speed and approaching, but not quite reaching that peak velocity. This also fits with the nature of Jupiter, which is about expanding rather than being in over-drive. Uranus finds a perihelion at 171' in Virgo, while modern astrologers agree that Uranus is the ruler of Aquarius (300-330'), this corresponds to a point approaching Uranus' apogee (171+180=351'). This fits with the position of Uranus as 2nd last in the Zodiac, the last energetic sign before the cycle resets between winter and spring, the last burst before the deepest slump. Neptune (0.0086) and Venus (0.0068) are the two most circular orbits of the main planets and hence this analysis may be expected to be weakest or least direct/clear for them. Neptune is strongly suggested by modern astrologer's to be the ruler of Pisces, but here we see a perihelion in Taurus (44.97'), which is sextile Pisces. This indicates a point of harmony approaching peak velocity but still increasing and not yet under the stress of changing direction, which aligns with the themes of Pisces. Meanwhile, for Venus who classically rules both Taurus and Libra, one finds a perihelion in Leo (131.5'), this is square to Taurus indicating that Venus in Taurus is halfway between apohelion and perihelion, transitioning in speed and position and carrying all of the inertia that we associate with a Taurus. On the other side of the perihelion comes the transition back towards apohelion, with harmonious Libra sextile the perihelion and giving the necesarily shift in momentum to guide the planet back into its more circular path. Lastly, Mercury (0.205) can be discussed relative to Virgo its second ruled sign. While the perihelion in ruled Gemini gives an obvious sign of the flighty mercurial side of a gemini, Virgo is square gemini on the descending side, meaning that Mercury's position there is one of tempering that flightiness back into the void of apohelion, a slowing down and redirecting of energy that typifies the more earthy side of Mercury and the mercurial side of Virgo. Earth (0.0167) is not usually given any rulership or analysed in the same way as the other planets because it can't be observed in a geocentric frame, but following this methodology could give suggestions to what rulership Earth might be given from another planet's perspective. Earth's perihelion in Cancer (102.94') is interesting in that it aligns with the Solstice also, meaning that when the northern hemisphere has its longest days it is also at our closest point to the Sun. Here on Earth we consider the moon to be the ruler of Cancer, but other planets might see the Earth itself as the ruler of Cancer, with its bountiful oceans and cycling tides. Cancer is noted as the mother of the Zodiac, so perhaps mother Earth is an apt name. Category:Astronomy